Many workers still find a chat with colleagues a great way to help our mental health, despite increases in hybrid and remote working.
A survey carried out for this year’s Time To Talk Day has revealed that one in four (27%) full-time employees find work the best space to help them to speak about their mental health.
That’s higher than local cafes (21%), the pub (17%), gym (17%) or library (9%).
But while the study, carried out by Mind and Co-op with regional partners, shows that workplaces are supporting mental health, more needs to be done.
Work is clearly a vital source of mental health support for many. Two-thirds (65%) of retirees surveyed never make space to speak about mental health, compared to a quarter (26%) of full-time employees and a third (31%) of part-time employees.
People in full-time employment are slightly more likely to deem conversations about wellbeing to be important – 82% say it is important to speak about mental health, compared to 77% of the general population.
But a quarter (25%) of full-time employers would welcome more information in their place of work, which are available through the Time To Talk Day campaign.
The initiative aims to spark millions of conversations about mental health in workplaces, communities, schools, homes, and online across the UK, changing the way we speak and think about the subject.
The cost of poor mental health to UK employers has been estimated to be between £53bn and £56bn, according to the Mental Health and Employers Report published in 2022 by Deloitte, with presenteeism, the cost of not performing at our best due to ill health, making up the majority of this significant cost.
Sarah Hughes, chief executive of Mind, said: “It’s vital we make space in the day for a conversation about mental health. Yet so many of us are finding that looking after our mental health has taken a back seat. Worryingly we fear stigma if we speak up, we can no longer afford to access the things or places that keep us mentally well, or we don’t want to be a burden on others. We know that talking about our mental health and listening to others about their experiences can help us feel less alone, more able to cope and encouraged to seek support if we need to. That’s why it’s time to talk and to listen this Time to Talk Day.”
Time to Talk Day 2023 is run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness in England, See Me with SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health) in Scotland, Inspire and Change Your Mind in Northern Ireland and Time to Change Wales.
For more information, including tips on starting the conversation, visit: timetotalkday.co.uk. Follow the conversation on social media #TimeToTalk.
